The Tahitian Inn was built in 1954 by the twins Joe and Frank Pupello, and it has always stayed as a family run motel. Still operational today, but it has been heavily remodeled. There current website had a number of vintage images on it, and I found a few extra, including a matchbook from one of Dusty's old posts. I found a 1968 article about a string of robberies that happened at the motel, and I just thought the detective's name was quite fitting - Tyree.

People always seem to get this place confused with Hawaiian Village because of the similar theme and they are somewhat close in proximity on Dale Mabry. Tahitian Inn is suppose to have an excellent Sunday brunch.

that is ugly all day......however i like the fact that the little old sign for the office had spears that illuminate too, just like tha main sign out front... what a nice design detail leftover from it's heyday....

2 weeks ago I went back to speak to the owners of the Tahitian (who, by the way are the original family who started it in 1952)...and they were very happy with the customer response to the tikis over the last year, and I am putting a proposal together (at their request) to do a lot more of them over there for the next year, making it into a little bit of a tiki spot...

I'm very thankful that that owners are happy with what I did there before and are considering taking it to the next level...this is a place that's 5 minutes from my house...and their commission of the weeping tahitian & big tahitian were pieces that a lot of people consider to be some of my best stuff, so I feel quite a bit of loyalty to these folks. They were treated me & paid me well, and the job helped me build a bit of a local rep.

Anyway, talking about replacing all of the generic tiki-bar catalog stuff they've purchased in the past for authentic stuff more reminiscent of what one might actually see in Tahiti...

Hopefully this will happen and I'll have some nice stuff to show you here soon, and I can do what little I can to honor & preserve our local history, as well as further something authentic...

On 2012-11-08 17:08, pjc5150 wrote:....Anyway, talking about replacing all of the generic tiki-bar catalog stuff they've purchased in the past for authentic stuff more reminiscent of what one might actually see in Tahiti...

Hopefully this will happen and I'll have some nice stuff to show you here soon, and I can do what little I can to honor & preserve our local history, as well as further something authentic...

Way to go! Fighting for quality in the Tiki Revival, one Tiki at a time! I am looking forward to your pictures.
Does the family have any old photos or artwork from the hotel's heyday?